The Barcelona Convention and Its Role in Oil Pollution Prevention in the Mediterranean Sea

1979 ◽

Vol 1979 (1) ◽

pp. 283-285 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Baruch Boxer

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Oil Pollution ◽

State Regulation ◽

National Standards ◽

Pollution Monitoring ◽

International Agency ◽

Monitoring And Control ◽

Response Planning ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Barcelona Convention

ABSTRACT An ambitious intergovernmental program of oil spill contingency and response planning is underway in the Mediterranean Sea region under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the Inter-governmental Maritime Consultative Organization (IMCO). This paper assesses technical and institutional problems of bringing national needs and capabilities into line with international obligations of Mediterranean coastal states in keeping with the recently ratified 1976 Barcelona Convention. Problems include: definition of the coordinating role of the Malta-based UNEP-supported and IMCO-administered Regional Oil Combating Center for the Mediterranean Sea (ROCC); difficulties in applying the results of oil and petroleum hydrocarbon monitoring in regional spill prevention and contingency planning; jurisdictional questions relating to coastal state regulation and enforcement rights; and lack of consensus on technical aspects of planning and response due to diverse national standards and pollution control objectives. Through the establishment of the ROCC, UNEP and IMCO have introduced a new element in international attempts to plan for and respond to major spills. The extent to which the ROCC is able to achieve its treaty-defined goals in the Mediterranean is a measure of the potential for international agency contributions to contingency and response planning. This is important in light of UNEP attempts in other “regional seas” areas to establish similar institutional mechanisms for intergovernmental coordination.

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An updated overview of the geographic and bathymetric distribution of Savalia savaglia

Mediterranean Marine Science ◽

10.12681/mms.890 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 16 (1) ◽

pp. 128 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Mi. GIUSTI ◽

C. CERRANO ◽

M. ANGIOLILLO ◽

L. TUNESI ◽

S. CANESE

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Depth Range ◽

Remotely Operated Vehicle ◽

Protection Measure ◽

The Past ◽

Scuba Divers ◽

Occurrence Data ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Recent Occurrence ◽

Barcelona Convention

The distribution of gold coral Savalia savaglia is modified on the basis of bibliographic information and recent occurrence data, collected using a ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle) and SCUBA divers. The species is long-lived, rare and has been exploited in the past by divers for collection purposes. S. savaglia is listed in Annex II of the SPA/BD Protocol of the Barcelona Convention and has a wider distribution than previously thought, including both the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. Our results highlighted that specimens mainly live at a depth range of 15-90 m, but may reach as deep as 900 m in the Mediterranean Sea. This species can form monospecific facies of hundreds of colonies, as observed in Montenegro (Adriatic Sea), between 10 and 20 m, and in the Canary Islands, at a depth range of 27-70 m. Recent data highlighted numerous cases of specimens that were endangered by lost fishing gear, which exposed this species to further threats. Considering its longevity and structural role, it is urgent to develop an effective protection measure for S. savaglia, thereby increasing research efforts and implementing protection areas for this species.

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Development of regional coastal water quality standards in the Mediterranean

Water Science & Technology ◽

10.2166/wst.1995.0665 ◽

1995 ◽

Vol 32 (9-10) ◽

pp. 17-24 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

L. J. Saliba

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Coastal Water ◽

Pollution Prevention ◽

Pollution Monitoring ◽

Technical Problems ◽

Coastal Water Quality ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Trained Manpower ◽

The Impact

Under the terms of the 1976 Convention for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution, and the 1980 Protocol for the protection of the Mediterranean Sea against pollution from land-based sources, the coastal states of the region have to develop criteria and standards for various aspects of coastal water quality. These are being progressively developed within the framework of the Mediterranean Action Plan, specifically within the Long-term Programme of Pollution Monitoring and Research in the Mediterranean Sea (MED POL Phase II). The impact of specific Mediterranean ecological conditions on health and related risks arising from specific uses of the sea, in relation to those risks arising from the same types of water use in regions with different conditions, and the effects of such differences on quality requirements, are discussed. The current situation in the Mediterranean region regarding national and international legislation for ensuring coastal water quality is described, together with the normal procedures for regional assessments of the situation with regard to specific pollutants and the formulation of proposed measures. The legal and technical problems involved in (a) the actual preparation of criteria and standards combining ecological and health requirements with political acceptability and (b) their adoption by Mediterranean states are described. These problems essentially arise out of the heterogeneous character of the states bordering the Mediterranean Sea, especially regarding the state of existing infrastructures for pollution prevention and control, including the availability of trained manpower and technical facilities, the degreee of priority accorded to marine pollution within the overall framework of national requirements, the type of legal and administrative machinery for the enactment and enforcement of statutory provisions, and the implications of new or amended legislation vis-a-vis already-existing international obligations.

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Oil Pollution in the Mediterranean Sea: An Overview

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-2982 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Angela Carpenter

Keyword(s):

Mediterranean Sea ◽

Marine Environment ◽

Oil Pollution ◽

Marine Ecosystem ◽

General Terms ◽

The Mediterranean ◽

Many Sources

Oil pollution can enter the marine environment from many sources including land, shipping, and oil installations. It can have significant impacts on the marine environment that, depending on the type of oil, can last for prolonged periods of time. Monitoring oil pollution in the Mediterranean Sea region has been conducted using both aerial and satellite surveillance. This presentation will provide an overview of the sources and volumes of oil entering the Mediterranean, identify impacts on the marine ecosystem in general terms, and will review surveillance activities in the region, including cooperative activities undertaken by regional and EU agencies, for example. &#160;

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